Hiring talent
Hire an Account Executive who closes.
Operator-led search for SaaS and B2B Account Executives across Australia and APAC — shortlisted by someone who has carried the number themselves.
$115k–$190k+
Typical OTE range, SaaS AE (base + commission)
Fast
Typical shortlist turnaround — ask us for the current benchmark
Sydney · Melbourne · Brisbane
Markets covered, plus wider APAC
What this role actually is
An Account Executive isn’t a closer for hire.
As an account executive recruitment agency working across SaaS and B2B tech, we see the title get used loosely. A true Account Executive owns a full sales cycle — qualifying pipeline, running discovery and demos, negotiating commercial terms and closing — not just taking meetings an SDR has already booked. We qualify which of these your business actually needs before we start a search:
SMB AE
High volume, short cycle, transactional close.
Mid-Market AE
Multi-stakeholder deals, 30–90 day cycle.
Enterprise AE
Complex procurement, 6–12 month cycle, land-and-expand.
Get this distinction wrong in the brief and you’ll interview candidates who are excellent at the wrong motion.
Account Executive salary by seniority
Sydney and Melbourne typically sit 5–15% above these ranges. Figures reflect SaaS/B2B tech, 2026.
Level
Experience
Base
OTE (base + commission)
Associate AE
0–2 years
$65k–$75k
$90k–$110k
Mid-level AE
2–5 years
$84k–$95k
$115k–$130k
Senior / Enterprise AE
5–8 years
$100k–$130k
$150k–$190k
Strategic AE
8+ years
$130k–$160k
$190k–$240k+
Our search process
How we search for your next Account Executive
0
1
Scope the motion
SMB, mid-market or enterprise, and the number that defines success.
0
2
Map the market
Identify AEs already carrying a comparable or larger number.
0
3
Qualify the number, not the story
Pipeline generated, quota attainment, deal complexity, tooling.
0
4
Test the close
Live scenario or role-play against your actual sales motion.
0
5
Support the ramp
Compensation guidance and 30/60/90-day check-ins after start.
Why hire through Bluebird
Operator-led proof, not promises.
% (TBC)
Retention at 12 months — real figure TBC
% (TBC)
Sourced off-market — real figure TBC
+ (TBC)
AE placements to date — real figure TBC
-month (TBC)
Replacement guarantee — real figure TBC
Every consultant on our sales desk has carried an AE number themselves — they know the difference between a candidate who talks about pipeline and one who can actually build it.
What you get with every Account Executive search
A dedicated, specialist consultant — not a generalist juggling ten unrelated roles.
A live compensation benchmark for your segment and city.
Candidates assessed on a real sales scenario, not just a resume.
Off-market reach — access to AEs who aren’t actively applying anywhere.
A structured interview scorecard you can reuse for future hires.
Support through the first 90 days, not just to signed offer.
Looking for more than a single Account Executive?
Some hires are bigger than one role. If that’s you, here’s the engagement that fits:
Executive Search
A confidential, senior-level search for Sales Director, VP Sales or CRO hires.
No upfront fee
Included in your search
Confidential search
Senior/leadership focus
Direct partner involvement
Discreet outreach
Board-level calibre
Team Build-Outs
Coordinate multiple AE hires when you’re standing up or scaling a whole sales team.
No upfront fee
Included in your search
Multiple hires, one brief
Coordinated start dates
Single point of contact
Shared search fee
Consistent bar across hires
Market Expansion
Hiring your first AE (or first few) to open Australia or APAC as a new market.
No upfront fee
Included in your search
Local market mapping
Compensation benchmarking
First-hire risk reduced
APAC network access
Local calibration built in
Open Account Executive roles right now
No Account Executive roles are open right now. Register your interest and we’ll reach out when the right opportunity appears.
Account Executive hiring questions
How long does it take to hire an Account Executive through Bluebird?
What’s the difference between an SDR and an Account Executive?
Do you recruit for SMB, mid-market and enterprise AEs?
Can you help set the right commission structure for a new AE hire?
Do you place AEs on a contract basis, not just permanent?
Do you recruit Account Executives outside Sydney and Melbourne?
Need an Account Executive who closes?
Tell us about your market, motion and growth stage. We’ll build a focused search for the right commercial fit.
